Snooker club raises funds for boy injured in crash

Members of Woodlands Snooker Club are raising money for Will and his family

A snooker club has rallied round to raise funds for a nine-year-old boy who suffered life-changing injuries when he was struck by a car in Doncaster.

Will has been in Sheffield Children's Hospital with severe brain and other injuries since the incident in Sprotbrough in July.

Woodlands Snooker Club, where his father Owen Hanley is a member, has been staging competitions to raise money to adapt Will's home for when he can leave hospital.

Club member Mark Freeman said the players wanted to help "in any way they could".

'Devastating news'

Mr Hanley said the incident had happened on his own birthday.

He told the BBC: "I'd said goodbye to Will and he went off to school with his grandmother.

"Around 40 minutes later I got the call about what had happened, it was devastating news."

Mr Hanley said a doctor happened to be in a car near the scene, and gave CPR to Will.

Had that not happened, Mr Hanley said his son probably would not have survived.

In hospital, Will had part of his skull removed because of the swelling to his brain.

So far, he has not been able to talk or swallow food.

Will was expected to remain in hospital for more than six months, and the family said there was a great deal of uncertainty on the level of mobility he could regain.

Mr Hanley said: "We don't yet have all the questions, let alone the answers."

Mark Freeman said the club would "be there for them all"

Woodlands Snooker Club has raised thousands of pounds to adapt the family home.

Mr Freeman said: "We don't know what adaptations the family will need doing to their home when Will comes home.

"When members of the club heard about the accident they immediately wanted to help in any way they could.

"We've put on two events so far and they have brought in thousands of pounds.

"Whatever we can do we'll be there for them all."

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